2015 Governor’s Energy Development Summit

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2015 Governor’s Energy Development Summit

Salt Palace Convention Center, May 20-21, 2015

On May 20-21, 2015, the Governor’s Office of Energy Development was pleased to presents its 4th annual Energy Summit. The largest energy summit in the Intermountain West hosted over 1000 attendees from 19 states and multiple countries. Attendees got to visit with dozens of vendors and check out a number of alternate-fuel vehicles, including electric motorcycles, CNG semis and even a Tesla.

Companies, regulators, agencies, and organizations were represented at the dozens of booths and almost 100 of the best and brightest speakers in the industry participated in the Summit.

For the first time, the 2015 Summit featured an international panel to highlight the global landscape for energy and the role Utah and states can play in setting the foundation for international advancements in energy development. The panel included officials representing our U.S. neighbors to the north and the south, along with industry representatives engaged in global energy development. It was delightful to meet Canadian Consul General, Marcy Grossman. She reminded us that Utah exports $1.4 billion to Canada every year and more broadly, US-Canada trade is worth $782 billion annually. We heard from Senator Roble-Montoya from Oaxaca, Mexico about their changing regulatory landscape and opportunities for international collaborations to develop new energy projects. Mexico is committed to renewable energy and resource diversification and have impressive goals. Executives from SunEdison and Millennium Bulk Terminals further discussed global opportunities for partnerships on energy development that support Utah’s energy landscape further driving local investment and economic growth.

You can watch the entire panel discussion right here:

The breakfast plenary session featured Gov. Herbert’s exciting announcement of the Energy Economic Impact Study, prepared by Applied Analysis out of Nevada. The results clearly highlight the fundamental role that Utah’s energy sector plays in the state’s economy. This thriving industry contributes about $21 billion to Utah’s economy, or nearly 15% of the state’s gross domestic product, supporting nearly 40,000 jobs.

He was followed by the morning keynote speaker, Mr. Greg Goff, President and CEO of Tesoro.

You can watch the entire breakfast plenary here:

The afternoon plenary featured the announcement of the Utah Energy Workforce Scholarship Programto expand science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational opportunities for Utah students and sponsored by Chevron. The Governor’s Excellence in Energy Awards were conferred (see below) and keynote speaker, Jonathan Weisgall of Berkshire Hathaway, kept the audience entertained and engaged. You can watch the entire lunch plenary session here:

2015 Excellence in Energy Award Winners

Crescent Point: Energy Environmental Leader of the Year

Crescent Point Energy Corporation named Energy Environmental Leader of the Year

Crescent Point worked on the Randlett Project: Innovation in Sensitive Species Management Mitigation. They conducted a seismic survey over 90,000 acres of Duchesne and Uintah County, under seven different administrative agencies), while simultaneously avoiding the habitat of numerous endangered and threatened plants. Crescent Point went beyond their legal obligation to also avoid disturbing even species with no current legal protections.

Anadarko: Energy Community Leader of the Year

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation is the Energy Community Leader of the Year

Anadarko has supported communities from Price to the Uintah Basin through volunteer service and through financial donations totaling more than $80,000 in 2014. Anadarko employees have provided service through a homeless shelter, a youth center, the Special Olympics, and many other community locations.

Hansen, Allen & Luce: Energy Innovator of the Year

Hansen, Allen & Luce received the Energy Innovator of the Year Award

Hansen, Allen & Luce received this year’s award for their work on Advanced Practices in Water and Energy Efficiency. They recognize that energy efficiency and water efficiency go hand-in-hand. They have used their expertise to save water, energy, and money for communities throughout Utah, with some clients reducing their energy bills by 20 to 30 percent.

Energy Collaboration of the Year

Energy Collaboration of the Year

This year’s Awards include an additional category: Energy Collaboration of the Year. The winner in this category goes to a team consisting of Uintah County, UT, Rio Blanco County, Colorado, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources, Utah’s Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, and the Bureau of Land Management. The project was A Collaborative Approach to Conservation: The Penstemon Agreement. The new conservation agreement establishes 44,000 acres of conservation areas on federal, state, and private lands, and creates a mechanism for research and funding that would not have been provided through Endangered Species listing.

PowerPoint Presentations from Breakout Sessions

Morning Sessions:

Adapting to Ensure Grid Flexibility & Reliability in An Era of Uncertainty

OED Mission

To advance Utah’s diverse energy sector through planning, policy, and direct engagement with the private sector; and thereby to foster economic growth through energy development and conservation activities and through the provision of affordable, reliable energy.

Amy Joi O'Donoghue - The Deseret News
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